A Reborn Memory
by SevenTreasuresxxx
Summary: What would happen if Roy actually tried to bring back Maes? Well, he's about to find out for himself. With help from his team, can he possibly hope to defeat the monster he's created? Slight AU MixedPairs RoughAroundTheEdges. Give it a chance? Review.
1. My Limitations

Well, I am glad to finally get something up on I hope the locals here will like my story .

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist. As much as I greatly would, I'd probably just screw it all up.

The storyline where my fic takes place is a little sketchy, but it takes place before the movie...I think. I dunno. Don't think it really needs a place in the storyline, but w/e. Enjoy 1st chapter.

* * *

**Chapter One**

His head started to ache. What was he thinking? Frustrated to the brink, he knocked the stack of papers off of his desk along with the lamp and his coffee, and hit the wood as hard as he could.

He'd been thinking about this for about a week now, what was taking him so long to figure it out? His life was falling apart left and right, ever since that day. He burried his face in his hands and ran them though his ebony hair. It was never the same. And it never will be. Ever again, he remorsed to himself.

Why did it have to happen to such a warm, carassing soul? His life-long friend? A dutyful father and husband?

It was just not fair. It should have been him. He didn't own as much as Hughes did. Nothing would have changed if he wasn't there anymore. But no, Fate had to sacrifice an innocent life.

"_Dammit_" he shouted as he cringed into himself.

The room was engulfed in darkness, save for the light that creeped under the door from the hallway outside his office. _'I can't. It's forbidden alchemy!_ _Besides,' _he relaxed, '_he wouldn't like it if I did...'_

* * *

"So, Chief?" asked Havoc the next day at work.

"What is it, Havoc?" sighed Roy. " And it's i no /i if it's about that 'smoking parlor' request," Roy responded while not looking away from his paperwork.

"No no, it's not that ­­--even though I've sent in a request form over a month ago--," he grumbled.

"Then what? I don't have enough time for petty talk, Lieutenant."

"Well, you've seemed a little...out of it today, sir. Are you feelin' okay?"

"What, the Colonel's sick?!" exclaimed Breda once he decided to listen in.

"Oh my! Maybe you should go see a doctor!" suggested Feury.

"I agree with Sergeant Feury," replied Falman.

"Sir, if you didn't feel well, you should have called--" started Hawkeye.

"I'M NOT SICK!" shouted Roy to his subordinates.

The room was silent for a moment before Havoc spoke up again, "I'm just sayin', Mustang. Maybe you _should_ see a doctor or something. Because your depressed mood is starting to piss me off."

"Do you still want that parlor, Lieutenant? Because it wouldn't pain me to deny your request," Roy glared at Havoc. Havoc returned his suspicious glare before he turned away. "Shoot yourself."

The four other officers were a little tense at the atmosphere the two had created. They all returned to what they were doing before the arguement. But they never stopped worrying about their commander. His performance affected their duty. And he hasn't been this distracted since the death of Brigadier General Hughes. That was a few months ago now.

They left the Colonel alone for the rest of the day. Save for the short moments where they had to hand in paperwork or recieved a command from the Colonel. When it came time to a lunch break, they all left the office to leave Roy alone.

_'It's just too hard without...,'_ he thought.

"Oi! Mustang!" came a farmiliar voice.

He looked up to see Fullmetal at the door storming his way into his office. "I've come to give you your report. So listen 'cuz I'm only gonna say it once," he said in his usual gruff tone. "I killed another homunculi." Roy's stare didn't change as the news was delivered. "I want your report in written form, Edward. And hand it into me by the end of today, got it?" Ed just scowled darkly but said nothing as he left and slammed the door.

Roy's headache came back. He couldn't do it, the Elric Brothers were proof enough. They'd gone though too much for children so young.

"But...," his brain started to think, "They were children. Inexperienced."

He began to whisper to himself, "Soul...blood...if I just...," and something clicked, "Yes, it should work."

About half an hour later, everyone reported in for duty after they returned back from the Mess Hall.

"Colonel Mustang, I have some documents that need your approval before they are sent away." "I have your coffee, sir." "These papers are from General Haruko and need to be in before the end of the day, okay Chief?"

He sighed as another stack of papers was dumped onto his desk and everyone returned to their stations. He moved for his pen and started approving and signing away until the end of the day.

* * *

"Have a good evening, Colonel Mustang," said Hawkeye as she closed the door behind her to return to her apartment. Roy leisurely waved at the closed door. Everyone had left the building, except for a few janitors and overtimers. He slowly stood up, grabbed his coat, locked the room and made for his apartment also. But he was going to make a stop on his way.

His mind was made up.

He exited Central. Walked about six blocks to the store. Picked his groceries and walked home with two bags of supplies.

* * *

_Water; 35 liters_

_Carbohydrates; 20 Kilograms_

_Ammonia; 4 liters_

_Calcium; 1.5 Kilograms_

_Adenosine; 800 grams_

_Phosphorus; 800 grams_

_Salt; 250 grams_

_Nitrogen; 100 grams_

_Sulfur; 80 grams_

_Fluoride; 7.5 grams_

_Silicon; 3 grams_

_Iron; 5 grams_

Assorted trash elements and compounds; 15 grams

The components of an average adult human body.

He set the bags aside by his couch in his large livingroom. He knew he was crazy to attempt this. But he had to try. He related his situation to that of Ed and Al's, when they preformed a human transmutation on their deceased mother. They didn't have the resources he did back then. He reached into his pocket to grab a pouch of Red Stone he swiped from Archer's workplace. He could definetely lose his job over this. Only if someone found out that is. But he wasn't going to think about that right now.

He used a drawing for reference as he drew the transmutation circle. He emptied the contents of the bags into the center. He set the Red Stone in front of him. He heard the wind pick up outside. Earlier that week, he had requested Gracia to allow him to have a doctor extract some blood from young Elicia-chan. When she asked why, he lied to her by telling that it was to make sure Elicia didn't have the infant disease travelling around. He had the vile in the freezer, just in case he changed his mind about this. And he did.

The blood from Elicia held enough of her father's DNA so that it should call his soul from behind The Gate, even though it is diluted by Gracia and Elicia's own blood. He let the red essense drip onto the circle. He took a breath and gently placed his hands on the circle, and hoped to God that it worked.

The pat on the window said that it was raining now. The swirl of alchemy englufed the room in a torrent of light and heat. A hue of red whistled between the cascades from the Red Stone. He watched as the red soon began to immerse the rest of the alchemy energy. _'Something's wrong...'_ The caressing sound of the transmutation soon took on a violent, ungodly sound. _'But I made sure everything was...'_ The soothing warmth began to burn his skin. _'What did I do wrong...'_ The energy started tearing at his body. "I was so sure...!"

A dog across the street could be heard barking as a scream was heard from inside the apartment across the street.

* * *

He was left crying out in pain as he clutched the side of his face. His blood started staining the floorboards and his clothing. His eye! What happened to his eye?! Warm blood leaked between his fingers as he tried to stop it from bleeding.

He was alarmed when he heard wheezing and sputtering from the center of the circle. _'Did it work...'_ He brung himself up on one elbow while still holding his face, and looked beyond the steam and smoke at the creature in the middle. "M...Maes?" _Wheeze!_ "Is it...?" _Gasp!_ His one eye widened in horror when he saw the deformed, bleeding, pulsing flesh in the center of the transmutation circle. "W-What...? But the Stone! I was _positive_! Blood...ingredients...!" He was threatening to shed tears. "Hughes..." He held them back. "Why didn't it...work?"

A couple hard knock shook his little condo. "Hey! _Mustang!!_ Keep it down in there, some of us are trying to sleep!" said his neighbor from across the hall.

He didn't acknowledge the guy's anger. More on his failure. His own loss of his eye. The heavy loss of his friend, once again. But overall, the disappointment he must have caused Hughes' soul by preforming this stunt.

"_Hey!_ Are you listening?!"

Roy's body suddenly got tense and he held back his tears once again. To no avail though. He growled at the salty liquid spilling from his onyx eye, "_Dammit!_" He slammed his fist on the floor, "Dammit, dammit, dammit, _DAMMIT!!_"

"Mustang? Hey! Are you alright in there?"

He looked up though blurred vision from the tears in his eye, and slowly crawled over to the mound of flesh. He reached out with a shaky hand, but didn't dare touch it. "I...I'm sorry."

His neighbor knocked harder, "Hey!" he shouted to the other neighbors, "Someone help!" --_"What?" "What's wrong?" "Ugh, It's two in the morning, Clyde!"_--

Roy blacked out.

* * *

He heard a soft voice calling to him. _Mumble_. He groaned at the sudden pain. _Mumble mumble_. He tried to move his body. _Mutter...okay...grumble...sir...mumble_. Someone was trying to talk to him. This time he tried to open his eyes, but remembered that he had lost one last night. He shot awake immediately. Last night! He sat up quickly with his eye searching the room he was in.

"Sir! Calm down!" came Hawkeyes voice as she grabbed his shoulders to keep him in his hospital bed. "Colonel Mustang!" a male voice cried. He looked over at Havoc. "Lieutenant Havoc? Lieutenant Hawkeye?" He frantically looked around, "Where am i?" Hawkeye coaxed him to lay back down, "You're at North Amestris Hospital. May 16th, 1945. Four o'clock in the afternoon." He looked away from her. He was only out for a day. He felt the bandage covering his eye.

"Hey, Mustang? Mind explaining yourself?" asked Havoc. Roy looked at him, he was sitting in a guest chair by the window where the orange light leaked though the curtains or his room, arms crossed and unlit cigarette in his mouth. And looked away in shame at his actions from last night. "I was..." Jean's serious face tightened, and Riza's expression turned to a little bit worried. "Cleaning my apartment and I fell, his my eye on the edge of the table," he lied.

"Come on, Colonel. We all know that's not what really happened. I'm sorta disappointed at your excuse. Now, tell us what _really_ went on in there."

"Sir, we didn't find your missing eye. You had a massive amount of blood missing and there was a giant transmutation circle in the middle of your livingroom. Please give us a reasonable answer," Riza said calmly while looking into his eye. But then realization hit him, "What? What about the mound of flesh in the--...?" he stopped, not wanting to rat on himself. "Sir?"

Havoc bit hard on his cigarette. He stood up and stomped over to Mustang's bed. Roy looked frightened at him, and cringed away when Havoc grabbed the metal bar on the side, "I sure as hell hope you didn't do what I _hope_ you didn't do, Mustang!" "Lieutenant Havoc, what are you doing?" shouted Hawkeye as she grabbed the hem on his sleeve, "Colonel Mustang is unwell, please let him rest!"

She saw Roy turn away from the two, "No, Riza, Jean is...right." She looked at him, horrified, "But, sir--" Havoc growled at Roy, "Okay, Mustang! Who was it?! That is a forbidden alchemy! You could get yourself fired! Now spill it!" He didn't respond. Havoc grit his teeth, "Was it Brigadier General Hughes?" Roy and Riza both looked at Havoc in shock, "What?" she looked at Roy, "Colonel, is that true?"

Roy obviously couldn't hide it from them now, "...Yeah..."

"You know, Mustang? Don't think that you're the only one in this academy that misses him. Sure he was always a pain in the ass, but he was an excellent friend. Do you realize what you've even done? The Council is going to chew you up and spit your out on the street! And the rest of us will be left without a commander!"

"Lieutenant Havoc! Please!" insisted Riza. "If you were put in his position--" "I wouldn't have done it!" Roy officially felt like shit. More than last night even. Havoc was right. "We never recovered a 'mound of flesh', Mustang," continued Havoc. He eased off and Hawkeye let go of his uniform.

He turned from the two at the bed and sat back down in his chair. "We'd better keep this to ourselves," he said in a meditating state. Riza relaxed and nodded, "Agreed." Roy looked at the two in shock, "What? Are you two crazy? You could get fired _with_ me!" Havoc looked at him, "Nothing compared to the level of crazy _you_ attempted. So just keep your mouth shut and maybe we could keep you as colonel, got it, Colonel?" he smirked.

Roy let Havoc's devotion sink in before he turned away, even more shamed now that his two most loyal cohorts could go down with him if he was caught. "Thanks."

"Colonel. I think you should get some rest," advised Riza. The now warm atmosphere in the room; orange hue to the white room, a couple of the best collegues he could ask for, and a night of misery, was starting to make him tired. The buzz of the machinery in his room was soothing. The unit of blood that was donated still feeding him it's essense. The needle in his arm still annoying, but harmless either way. He started drifting.

After a few minutes, the two lieutenants saw that the Colonel was sleeping now. "So, split into groups? I take clean-up and you take care of cover-up?" Havoc proclaimed. "Sure." Even though Havoc was still going to give Roy more shit when he woke up, they probably couldn't work with another Colonel other than Mustang. He knew that most of the others wouldn't last long alone and out of the job. Even though Breda, Feury and Falman did nothing, the Fuhrer and The Council would probably still catch them for felony treason. Being allianced with himself and Riza, all that jazz. The three of them will obviously get the worst of it for conspiracy or something stupid like that.

"Well. I'm off to get that shit off of Roy's floor. Tidy up so it looks like an accident before Central gets a clean-up crew to investigate his apartment after it's reported," said Havoc while grabbing his jacket. "I'll make sure that the hospital records the medics wrote at the scene are destroyed and replaced. Substitute the Colonel's neightbor's statements, too."

"Ja. Good luck, Hawkeye," he said before he walked out the door.

Hawkeye smiled calmly at the empty door, "Same here, Lieutenant." She too walked to the door, looked back at Roy, "Get well soon, Colonel," and left.

* * *

"Okay, guys. Get to it," said Havoc to his team of not-so-professional team of cleaners he hired from the local House Cleaners Clinic.

"Wow, sir. That's a lot of blood...," remarked one of the cleaners, "And a lot of calligraphy," and pointed to the black marking on the floor. "Agreed,sir," another. "What happened in here, sir?" asked another. Havoc leaned on the doorway, "My friend's 8 year old kid, quite an imagination actually, crazy with a pencil. Also had a major nose bleed in here. He asked that you clean it up so that it looked like nothing every happened, you know, 'cuz his wife would kill him if the floorboards had any stains." He quirked an eyebrow and pointed to the floor, "$800 boards, you know. I wouldn't even walk on 'em."

One of the cleaners rubbed his chin, "Thats a lotta blood for just one kid." "I agree." "Yes, a lot." Havoc rubbed his temples, "Did I say 'kid'? Sorry, I meant 'kids'. Three boys. Big brawl over the remote," he made a gesture with his hand to emphasize, "Shit happens all the time with this kinda thing." He turned, "I'll trust that it'll all be gone before my friend's wife returns, right? I'll even give ya $50 extra if you get it done within 3 hours." The cleaners saluted comically, "Hai!"

* * *

Hawkeye walked up to the female clerk behind the hospital desk. "Excuse me, can I please see the medical records for a 'Roy Mustang', please?" she asked. The lady looked up from her writing, "Pardon, but you need to be an authorized personal or authority to aquire such documents, Ma'am." Hawkeye held her hand under the tag she had on her uniform, "Second Lieutenant _Victoria Blenner_, authorized in the military at Central Headquarters." The lady squinted to get a better look at the tag, "I apologize, Lieutenant Blenner, please wait while I retrieve the folder for Mr. Mustang," and she got up out of her chair and down the hallway.

When Riza thought that she was gone for sure, she walked over behind the clerks desk and started typing on the keyboard connected to the computer. She opened a file that told her the related documents involving Colonel Mustang's incident. The medics statements for the accident were located in File Holder C, Drawer F2 in Room 110 under the filename of 235-PT.

She exited all the windows that she put up and returned to her place in front of the counter. Just before the clerk arrived behind the corner holding in her hands a yellow folder. "Here you are, Lieutenant, Mr. Mustang's records." Riza did a small bow and opened the folder on the desk-counter. She quickly drotted though the file, _'Strange markings...eye...unconcious at scene...defibrillator...massive blood loss...breathing for approx. 10 seconds...no reminents of eye.'_ She scanned the file for anything that could possibly be remembered, but spotted nothing significantly remarkable except for the part where Roy's breathing stopped for a matter of seconds.

"I apologize in advance for this," she said. She took out a small spray can of Lorazepam and squirted it once creating a small cloud that wafted towards the lady. The clerk barely had time to protest before she swayed a little and fell, Hawkeye caught her before she made any noise involving the ground. She slowly dragged her behind her desk and layed her on her chair with her head resting on the desk so that it looked like she had just fallen asleep.

Hawkeye took a new folder from behind her back that she had kept hidden from the woman and replaced it with the real one. She set it on the counter next to the woman so that she would think she forgot to put it away. She then started to find Room 110.

* * *

The next day.

"Wow," awed Feury, "He looks like a sleeping angel, doesn't he Lieutenant Breda?"

"Hm, I've seen prettier..."

"Oh, where?"

"...When you're older, Feury."

Kain looked away with a confused expression on his face, "Okay..."

"I don't advise you get too close to the Colonel, Sergeant Feury. You never know, his bad luck might be contagious," advised Falman. "And I imagine he would dislike it that another male was so close to his person."

Kain reasoned with himself and agreed with Falman, the Colonel had a thing about guys not getting too close. He let go of the metal bar on Mustang's bed and returned to a spot beside Breda and Falman.

"Geez," pitied Breda, "I guess it would be pretty difficult to know you lost your eye to a table! Wonder how Colonel Mustang will adjust..." Kain and Vato nodded in agreement, "I don't even know why he would take the time and effort to do it himself."

Breda was in a relaxed state with his chair backwards and his arms weaved over the top of the plastic back. Falman sat sophisticatedly with his leg crossed over the other, reading a magazine. Feury was now only at the end of Mustang's hospital bed, still waiting for him to wake up.

They all sighed, "The Colonel's been sleeping ever since we got here, guys. When do you think he'll wake up? I've got military work to do you know?" whined Breda.

"Give the Colonel a break. He was just permanently injured, I know I wouldn't want to wake up that soon. And besides, Edward-kun will want to 'talk' to the Colonel about the incident, also. We all know that the Colonel isn't one to just _slip_ and lose an eye," said Feury. Then he leaned towards the other two, "I heard a rumor in the hospital that Colonel Mustang had two visitors yesterday, Lieutenant Hawkeye and Lieutenant Havoc by the looks of it." The two looked puzzled, "And..? What does this have to do with anything? So Havoc and Hawkeye visited the Colonel, so?" Feury shook his head, "The nurse that was taking care of the Colonel said that she heard the three talking about a 'cover-up' and a 'clean-up'." Breda shook his head in discontent, "You're crazy Feury. They were probably talking about make-up. You know that stupid comercial on TV, _"Maybelline"_ or something like that."

Feury sulked down. "I was sure I was onto something there. But oh well."

And the day went on, the grey sky outside announced that it was going to rain again today.

_"Hey have you guess heard of that new tournament..."_

* * *

She watched the group of men in the hospital room from across the street on a nearby building. "I thank you greatly, Colonel Mustang. A new pawn is added to the game now." She carassed the Red Stone in her palm, "He shall be my greatest creation."

And she disappeared.


	2. The Greatest Sin

Hooray, Chapter two! (A.N. I would just like to apologize for all the spelling mistakes i made of "Fuery" when it should have been "Feury" my bad. It'll be correct in this chapter and all to come v.v;;)

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

It was a few weeks later when the hospital allowed Roy to leave. They gave him a perscription for Vicodin that will help the pain his eye will cause. He also recieved many visits from his unit. Mainly Havoc and Hawkeye though. Alphonse liked to bring him food, said that it was a break from all the dehydrated and bland food the hospital provided him. Edward always just stuck in the corner and hardly came as much as his brother did. But that was just fine, the short blonde was usually a nuisense.

Hawkeye escorted him to his car. He still hadn't adjusted completely to the loss of his eye, his depth perception was horribe. He always knocked over his glass or his food tray, couldn't grab anything without a few moments of trying to touch it first. "Sir, do you need any assistance?" she asked when she opened the door for him. "Just tell me how far the car door is," he said dryly as he reached out. The black car's door was already hanging, he touched it earlier than what he saw. He hoped that this wouldn't effect his work. He scowled, of course it would, he was the Flame Alchemist, he couldn't afford to not have 100 accuracy in the battlefield.

He sat down in the car and waited for the Lieutenant to start the car and drive off to his apartment. "Thank you for picking me up, Lieutenant Hawkeye," he said after a few minutes of silence. From here, his place was practically on the other side of town. It would probably take about a quarter of an hour to get there. "Don't mention it, Colonel," she replied while keeping her eye on the road. He looked out the open window, breeze blowing in his face, it was nice to get out of that stale building after about a month, give or take a few days. It smelt fresh. But it was...still the same to Roy.

He had dreams. And they weren't good ones. It was all related to that night. Pulsing flesh. Blood-chilling screams. Death. Everything under a red sky; chaos, tears, blood. And the heart-clenching pain of losing his best friend, again. He was never to forget those dreams, or what he had done. He now knew how the Elrics felt; responsible, guilty, fearful. It was such a horrible.

While he layed in bed in his hospital room, for hours and hours, he usually thought about the question: _Why didn't it work?'_ And it was true, why _didn't_ it work? Was it the fact that it wasn't the real Philosopher's Stone? Just a fake? But the Red Stone that he had should have had enough power, right? No... Not for a human transmutation.

His transparent reflection on the window acted like a mirror, to show his betrayal. One to all the faith anyone had in him. Mostly to Hughes. The rest to himself. He had caved on himself, a great disappointment still lay beneath the surface of his skin. But he couldn't fall prey to it, he still had to clean up after himself.

What's more, Havoc reported to him that the heap of flesh he had seen wasn't at the scene. He wondered where it had gone. Hopefully to be put out of it's misery. That night, when he looked into it's deformed eye, he felt it's pain, both mental and physical. To think that was Hughes, or a mock impersonation_. 'It didn't have a complete soul,'_ he thought to himself in dismay. He saw a bare whisper of insanity in it's eyes, it had one, just not whole. It was suffering.

* * *

Riza stopped the car and went to the other side to open the door for Roy. She helped him towards the door. Up the stairs and to his unnamed room. They said their goodbye's and Roy closed the door. It looked exactly the same the last time he saw it. But there was a haze of discomfort polluting it's walls. This is where he commited his sin.

It was now late in the evening, and he hadn't eaten anything 'nice' in the past week since Al dropped off some Fondant au Chocolat. To say the least, it was delicious. Al said that you had to eat it while it was hot, he even brung along a box of tea with him so that Roy could enjoy it better. Since he wasn't hungry, actually a little ill, he shared it with Havoc who was also there when Al visited. The three enjoyed conversing until Al said that he had to leave. After he did, Havoc also announced his departure.

Roy'd get something to eat later.

He walked over to his lumpy, springy couch and layed down on his stomach. He threw the cusions on the floor so that he could level himself out more better, closed his eyes and tried to induldge in being home again.

It was freezing. Then again, it always was. He groaned his discomfort and got up to scavenge for something to cover himself with while he turned the heat up. He looked around, Havoc did a good job on cleaning it up, that's for sure. It looked as if nothing had happened. Though he'd have to rearrange all the furniture back to where it use to be, the guys who came in moved everything to one side of the room, stacked and sealed with plastic wrap. What a nuisance.

He grabbed a grey blanket from the closet and made his way to his bedroom. Without changing clothes or even taking off his socks, he jumped into it and let the blanket float around him until it was covering his entire body. And he once again tried to go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow when he returns to work, things might be a little better. Hopefully...

* * *

Edward was laying on his cot in his temporary dorm room, staring at the ceiling. "Hey, Al? Still awake?" He heard the rustling a suit of armor would make if it were turning over, "Yes. What's the matter, Nii-san?" Ed concentrated on a particular spot on the ceiling, "It's that damn Colonel. What do you think he's hiding. His 'accident' looks awfully suspicious if you ask me." Al sighed, "We've already talked about this, Nii-san. Colonel Mustang had a terrible mishap, I don't think you should contradict it that much." Ed snorted, "Yeah right, I _know_ something is wrong here."

"Any hard evidence?"

"Pfft, _no_," he said sardonically. "For now it's just a gut feeling."

"Well. If you gut says so," replied Al, and turned back to the wall.

When Mustang returns tomorrow, he's going to confront him about this. If he doesn't get an answer, he'll know that something really is up. If he gets one he thinks is fishy, something else is up. It's not like the Colonel's going to give it to him straight. That damn bastard.

* * *

"You know what you have to do?"

"Uh-huh."

"You fully understand who you have to eliminate?"

"Yup."

Smile, "Good. Let's begin."

Her velvet burgundy and violet robes trailed behind her as she led her servant out of the large ballroom only lit by a few candles on the wall. He was indeed very skilled. One of her most admirable and formidable designs yet. His talent was one to behold. Fullmetal and Central will have another problem when she released 'Caliber' on them.

They walked to the entrance of the building. They looked at the enormous, deserted, city. Caliber's black attire moved with the wind, along with the long elegant clothing of her own.

"Hey! Good **luck **there 'Caliber', you're gonna need it!" sneered Envy from atop a scaffold. "Envy! Be polite to your obvious superior!" she shouted at him. "Hm!" Envy replied snidely and jumped behind the building, a large frown wrinkling his face. He walked furiously away, "That bastard! After I went to all the trouble to kill him too!" he grimaced more, "And now _he's_ the one that gets to kill Edward?!" He punched in a wall while walking by, "No. That's not fair, _I'm_ going to be the one to do it, and anyone who get's in my way will go along with him. Especially Caliber!"

"You called?"

Envy quickly turned around, shocked that he didn't sense anyone and the sudden surprise that Caliber was right behind him. "What the fuck are you doing, bastard?!" Caliber adjusted his yellow-tinted glasses, "Well, I saw that you were pretty upset when _I _was ordered to kill all of 'her' enemies," he leaned in apologetically, "Came to say sorry. But since I'm not that popular, I'll just leave you to yourself." He smiled and turned. Before Envy could retort, Caliber disappeared, an afterimage was all that was left as he took off.

Envy scoffed and said satirically, "Kinda makes you wonder why they call him 'Caliber'." He continued on his way, more enraged now than before, "Bastard."

* * *

Caliber stopped and looked around the city, "Hmm, I guess this Fullmetal guy is her first choice. I suppose I should search for him; it's a big city after all, this Amestris." His outline shimmered and he was gone.

About 25 miles away, the unsuspecting Fullmetal was shopping for groceries.

"Hey Al? Do we have any of these left?" and pointed to the box on the rack. "I think so, yeah." Ed huffed, "Well I wanna know. I'm not going back to the dorm to find none left _and _come back just to buy some! Save me the trip Al!" Alphonse sighed, " Are you trying to give yourself cancer, Nii-san? Anyways, I thought I saw one in the cupboard this morning." Ed also sighed, "Yeah, whatever. I think we should get about 5 more boxes just to make sure. Can't let anyone get more cancer than me, eh?" he said sarcastically.

They browsed for anything else they, rather Ed, needed. "Hey Al? Do we have any ramen left?"

"..._fabric softner_..."

"..._eggs_..."

"..._Shonen Maganyan_..."

After about ten minutes of going over his mental checklist, Ed finally decided that they had everything. "Hey, Al. Do you have the money?" "...I thought you were going to bring it!" Ed turned around with an evil aura, "What? I finally get everything that we need and we don't have any _money_?!" The man behind the till was growing impatient, "Oi! If you don't have anything to pay with, get out of the way! I have other costomers!" Ed slumped, "Okay, okay. Let's get outta here, Al."

Edward stretched once they got out of the store and into the bright sunlight. "Well, dammit! I guess we'll have to come back tomorrow. I'm getting hungry, let's find a good place to stop, 'kay?" "Alri--"

Al was cut short when a man bumped into him. "Oh! Excuse me, sir!" he quickly apologized. "I wasn't wat...ching..." he looked at the man who had knocked into him, "L...Lieutenant Colonel..._Hughes_?"

"Hey there, Fullmetal!" Caliber said happily, "Been lookin' _everywhere_ for you!"

Ed whizzed around at the voice, but gapped in horror when he saw the face, "Hughes!? B-But you're...," he pointed at the man. He looked exactly identical to Hughes. His short, thick mess of raven-green hair. His kind smile. But behind his yellow glasses, he saw those hidious snake eyes. A lavender iris with that black slit for a pupil, it was terrifying.

Caliber tilted his head in confusion, "Hughes...? Sorry kid, but that's not my name," he grinned. Edward fell to the ground when his legs turned to jelly. Al just stood in complete shock. "Now if you don't mind. I've been ordered to kill you," he chirped. Ed was about to have a heartattack; his dead friend was now alive, what's more now he wanted to kill him. "W...What?"

"I've...been...ordered--" Ed shook his head, "That's not what I meant! _What the hell are you_?!" Caliber grimaced, "What's the matter, Fullmetal? Do I remind you of someone? 'She' said that that's what would happen. But I didn't expect you to be _this_ hysterical about it."

Ed was frozen. But then it took a second for the whole thing to unfold in his mind. "Mustang..."

Caliber pulled out his costom-made weapon. Unmarked, unnamed, absolutely deadly. Al saw his weapon he brung out. It was a massive black gun, one he had never seen before. "T-That gun." Caliber was drawn to the armor behind him, "This?" He cocked it proudly, "One whopper of a pistol, ain't it?" He turned back to the blonde on the ground, "Now. If you would please hold still for a second, it won't take long. So many people to kill, so little time," he sighed. He gently squared it against the blonde's forehead, "Sorry, pal." And he pulled--

The great suit of armor that he presumed to be in shock along with the short guy, had sprung into action as soon as he had threatened the small one's life. His hand and wrist were consumed by the larger leather hand, "Nii-san!" it yelled. Caliber sighed with impatience, "Come on, buddy. Do you wanna die too? Because I heard that that blood seal is mightly touchy," he taunted.

"AL!_ Come on!!_" shouted Ed as he grabbed Al by the arm and ran as fast as he could down the sidewalk. Away from that, "Homonculus...," he whispered to himself. Hughes was a homunculus. "We have to find Colonel Mustang, Al! He's the one to blame!" Suddenly, the two were tossed into the air when a gunshot was heard. It was an enormous crater, that gun was no ordinary one, obviously. "What was that?!" Ed yelled. In an echo-tone, the homunculi they were running from replied, "Come on, this isn't any fun if you run away, Fullmetal." Ed gasped, "He's actually serious about this!" "Nii-san! Hurry, we have to report to Central!" The two got up again before the homunculi caught up.

A twinkle in the debris and dust of the explosion from Caliber's glasses was all that was seen before they took off as fast as their legs would carry them.

"Ah well," he shrugged. "Maybe they'll lead me towards the other soldiers on the list. Would sure save me the time searching for them all."

He reappeared ontop of a building, "I'm pretty interested in this 'Mustang'." He began to follow the two alchemists towards Central.

* * *

Second Lieutenant Havoc and First Lieutenant Hawkeye were peacefully walking towards the Colonel's office. "So, Hawkeye? Do you think the Colonel's going to be here today?" Hawkeye looked down at the floor, "I'm not sure, he didn't look too well yesterday when I brought him back to his apartment." Havoc crossed his arms after he lit his cigarette. Hawkeye's nose started to sting, "Lieutenant! This is a non-smoking facility. I would appreciate it--" He shrugged, "Oh well, if he doesn't come in today, maybe someone should go and check up on him. Just to make sure." Hawkeye snatched his cigarette out of his mouth, "Hey!" "You aren't permitted to smoke in here."

Havoc pouted and started grumbling, "...damn Colonel...smoking parlor..."

Then out of nowhere, Ed and Al turned the corner and knocked right into him. He was basically being crushed beneath the combined weight of Alphonse and Edward. "Gaaahhhh!"

"Havoc-san!" exclaimed Al as he quickly got off of Ed and Havoc. Ed jumped off of Havoc's chest, _"Omph!"_, "Where's that bastard Colonel?!" He looked around then at Lieutenant Hawkeye for an answer. "We were just going to see if he came today, Edward-kun." She helped Havoc off the floor. Ed stormed by the two and Al jogged after him, "Nii-san! Remember, the Colonel's condition--" "I don't give a _damn _about him! I'm gonna kick the undead shit out of him once I kill him!!" Hawkeye and Havoc raced after the two, "Edward-kun!"

Ed kicked open the office door. "Musta--" Mustang wasn't in there. He grit his teeth. "Dammit! Where the hell is he!"

Hawkeye sighed while Havoc ran a hand though his blonde hair. "I guess he's still feeling sick," he said. Hawkeye left the room and started walking down the hall. Havoc saw that she was walking away, "Hey! Wait up!" Ed turned around, "What? Are you going to see the Colonel?" Havoc was afraid to tell Ed the truth for Mustang's sake. "Are you?! Havoc, I need to talk with him about something really important!" Havoc frowned, but retreated to catch up with Riza without a word. "Oi! Havoc!"

In the parking lot outside, Riza started her car and nearly drove away if it weren't for Havoc grabbing the door and quickly climbing in. "Lieutenant Havoc! What are you doing?" He fastened his seatbelt, "You're not going to leave me alone with Ed! As much as I would love to stick and talk with him, I'd rather check on the Colonel with you," he smiled at her. "Now come on! Before he catches up with me!" He turned around, knees on the seat, hands gripping the head rest, looking for Ed.

Riza set her face straight and pulled out. "You guys!! This concerns the entire _military_!! Do ya wanna piece of this too?!" he waved his fist frantically in the air while racing after the car. "Hurry up, Hawkeye!" Havoc panicked, he was turned backwards on his knees looking out the rear window at the demon chasing them, holding tight to the head of the seat. But she kept a steady speed, though fast enough to show her insistency to get to Roy's place. Havoc rolled down his window and yelled to Ed, "Sorry, Ed! How about in half an hour or so? You know Hawkeye! 'Colonel first, Military second'! Unless you can keep up!!" and he retreated back into the car.

Edward started huffing, "I'll...kill...you..._Havoc_!" and he stopped, gasping for breath. "Come on, Nii-san! I think they're going to the Colonel's home!" Al picked Ed up and threw him on top, Ed quickly grabbed the steel shoulder guards and rode on Al piggyback-style. Al was very useful at times like this, he didn't seem to get tired as easily as Ed did.

The engine hummed while the two drove to the Colonel's apartment. "He's probably got a cold, he'll be alright for tomorrow I'm guessing," said Havoc, sensing that Riza was a little unsteady since the Colonel said that he might come in yesterday when she dropped him off. Even though he didn't say for sure that he was going to come, she couldn't help but worry for her leader.

Five minutes later of heavy driving, they screeched to a stop in front of the small apartment complex. They both undid their seatbelts and took a fast pace towards the gate, and up the stairs. Riza and Jean stood outside the Colonel's door, she knocked lightly, "Sir...?" Havoc listened closely to the door. "...," there was no response inside. She knocked a little harder, "Sir?" Havoc listened, "I don't think he's coming to the door." She got her gun ready to blow the lock out, but Havoc gently layed his hand on hers, "I got this." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a bobby pin. She put away her gun and watched him lean down so that he could get a better view of the lock. He inserted the pin into the deadbolt and began to push each little flat into place. After a moment or two he did the smaller one, five seconds later he smiled, "Okay."

"Good job, Lieutenant Havoc," she opened the door, "I'm surprised you know how to quickly and efficiently break into people's houses." He shrugged, "Learnt it during Training Academy."

They silently stepped in, "Colonel?" They split into different rooms, "Sir?" Nothing was heard. As an extra precaution, they both drew their weapons. "Mustang?" Finally, there was a noise in the other room. Surprised, they simultaniously pointed their guns at the room near the end of the hall. "Sir...?" They kept to the walls while they approached the room. "...Roy?"

Havoc lightly turned the knob when they got the the door, and pushed it back. It revealed the Colonel coughing and sweating while curled up on his bed, sheets disarrayed. The violence of his coughs indicated that this was no ordinary cold, along with his profuse sweating. "Colonel!" They put their weapons away and rushed to his bedside. The room stank of sickness. "Colonel! You should have called a doctor! Or us!" Roy grabbed his blanket tightly and coughed, "I was...," his voice was hoarse and limp, "too tired..."

"We have to get you treated. This isn't a normal fever or something!" said Havoc when he and Riza grabbed his arms and helped him out of bed.

Roy's head went extremely dizzy, he thought he was going to be sick. But he kept it down as they hauled him away. "How are you feeling, Sir?" asked Havoc with concern. Roy wiped his forehead, "Like rainbows and sunshine." Havoc rolled his eyes. When they were going to exit to drive Mustang to a hospital, ironic that he came from one yesterday, Edward and Alphonse suddenly appeared in the light of the hallway. "Mustang!!" Ed stormed in and was about to beat on him, when he noticed in the dim light that Roy didn't look so hot. "Colonel?" Al asked with a sympathy and concern not known to many.

"He's not feeling well, now will you please move out of the way?" asked Hawkeye.

Ed observed Roy's pale, sweaty face. His half-lidded eyes looked dangerously glazed, and the deep bangs he had under them didn't look right either. "To tell you the truth, Mustang, you look like shit," Ed jeered. "What happened to the Colonel?" asked Al.

"We found him like this," Riza replied. The Elrics cleared a path to let the three by, but stayed close behind as they all walked down the stairs. "What could have caused this?" questioned Al. Havoc's stare hardened as he concentrated on each step, "I don't know. But it probably has something to do with his house..."

Ed glared.

Once they got outside into the more fresh air, the troubles seemed to lighten along with the stale air inside. But that wasn't to last long. Ed ran in front of them and stopped the two from carrying the Colonel any farther, "Ed! What are you doing?" Ed glared at the barely conscious Roy, "I have something to ask you, _Mustang_," he spat. "It concerns Brigadier General Hughes." Hawkeye and Havoc panicked. Roy was probably too gone to understand, but the name 'Hughes' brung him out a little. "_H_..._ughes_...?" he mumbled.

Edward suddenly got very angry when he thought about the fact that Roy tried to transmute Hughes back. He grabbed Roy by his shirt collar, "Yeah! Hughes! Just the guy that tried to kill me today!" Havoc's cigarette fell out of his mouth, Riza inhaled in alarm. "Wanna know _why_?! Because he's a _homunculus_!! All because some stupid bastard feels sorry for himself!" Roy suddenly felt terribly sick again, "He's a...because of..." He then fell unconscious. Ed released him.

"You mean Brigadier General Hughes is a homunculus?! But...," shouted Havoc. "He attacked us while we were shopping," explained Al. "He didn't recognize us at all. And he had the marks of a homunculi. ...Except for the Auroboros, I didn't spot one." Havoc and Hawkeye walked towards the car, "Then are you sure he's a homunculus if you didn't see his mark?" Ed and Al climbed into the back with Roy while the other two took the front. "Well...I could be wrong. But how do you explain his appearance? Brigadier General Hughes is _dead_!" Havoc turned to look at Al, "I heard of a shape-shifting humunculi, would about it? Are you sure it wasn't the one?" Ed and Al were now beginning to doubt themselves. It indeed could have been Envy, but he would have chased after them, this one didn't.

Riza began to drive away, when all of a sudden, there was a loud thud on top of the car roof. She immediately stopped the car. Havoc readied his weapon. Al and Ed began to exit the car, leaving Roy inside. Jean and Riza joined the two. They all looked on the roof of the car in astonishment. It was Hughes, or at least someone who looked exactly like him.

"Hugh--," Havoc started but was quickly interrupted by the one on the roof, "No no no. I already told the kid over there that that isn't my name." Hawkeye stood up, "Who are you?!" The man smiled and he leaned down, his long overcoat piling below him. He placed a hand over his chin, "Are't you a pretty one," he tossed his hand, "Anyways, my name's 'Caliber'. Say it with me..."

Havoc and Hawkeye ignored the babbling man as he pronounced his name in short syllables, _"Cal-i-ber"_, "He sure has an identical personality to Hughes," Havoc whispered to her.

"But, I came for the guy in here," he pulled out a small paper from inside his jacket, "Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist," and pointed inside the car at the unconcious Roy. Hawkeye immediately fired at the man. But he just...'fazed' out of sight, like he teleported or something. Everyone looked around, but couldn't see him anywhere. "He doesn't look so well, what did ya do to him?" came a voice from inside the car. They all looked to see this 'Caliber' leaning an elbow on Roy's shoulder while looking intently at his face. "Get away from him!" shouted Riza with her gun threatening to shoot the man inside the car beside Roy. "Whoa! Calm down!" He disappeared again.

He appeared behind Ed, "Oh and kudos for bring me here, guys. It was a great pleasure." Ed turned around, frightened. Al tried to grab Caliber but only got empty space.

Caliber was once again in the car beside the infamous Flame Alchemist. He whispered in the unconscious man's ear, "Hey, don't take it personally, alright," he pulled out a small dagger, less messy in tight spaces, and put it to Roy's throat. He started talking like they were buddies, "Orders are orders, am I right?" And he slowly began to rip the skin on Roy's throat, blood slowly began to ooze out of his open wound. He was getting ready to swipe across his trachea when he was shot in the head. His body fell limp against the door, blood spilling down the clear glass window.

Riza reloaded her smoking gun. "Nice shot, Hawkeye," complimented Havoc as he ran towards the car to get Roy out of it. He reached in to pull him out, when he was unexpectedly and harshly grabbed by the throat. The hand started squeezing with inhuman strength, and his brain started racing.

Caliber sat right again, a bullet hole in the side of his head, "I'll admit, that hurt." And it immediately healed.

Havoc grasped the man's wrist, trying desperately to pull him off, but he lost against the other's superior strength. Caliber pulled the man closer and eyed him evily, "Hey, you're in Mustang's unit, right? Well, his entire team is ordered to be killed because you two know about this whole "me; humonculus" thing." His grip tightened until Havoc stopped moving in his grip after he blacked out. But, Caliber didn't let go.

"Havoc-san!!" yelled Al as he transmuted the car. The steel glowed then started to weave around only the man who had Havoc captive. "Hey!" Caliber dropped the guy to wrestle with the bindings that wrapped around his body, it lifted him up about 15 feet before stopping.

"Havoc!" yelled Ed. The Elrics ran to both Havoc and Roy. Caliber flailed his limbs around, "Hey, come on!"

Riza pointed her gun at Caliber, who immediately froze and looked at Riza. He smiled remorsefully, "Now, come on, lady--" He was shot in the head again. He shreiked in pain, "Okay, that wasn't rude at _all_! Ow, dammit!" Hawkeye reloaded, "Keep quiet, monster!" she shouted. She glanced a worried look over at Roy and Havoc for a second before turning her attention to Caliber.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. Caliber looked at her with a weird look on his face, "Didn't I already tell you that? Oh well. I'm here, basically to kill all five of you, including a few others not present," he shrugged as much as his bonds would allow.

"Why?" He thought about it for a second before answering, "Hell if I know. I'm not the one who pissed off Master."

"Who's 'Master'?"

"Why should I tell you? You shot me in the head! Twice!"

"Answer, or I'll do it again!"

"Go ahead, not like it does anything."

Hawkeye was getting very aggitated with this guy. _'Just like with Hughes...'_

"Hey, you know. I'll answer if you allow me to show you my pretty gun. It's way shinier than yours," he suggested, only got him another shot in the head. "Don't get smart, monster!" After a quick recovery, "Alright alright. You didn't have to shoot me again," he grumbled.

"Lieutenant Havoc! Hey!" Ed tried to wake Havoc up by shaking him. "Havoc!" He started to panic, "Lieutenant Hawkeye! Havoc isn't breathing!!" Hawkeye turned around.

"What?!"

"H-He's not breathing! I don't know what to do!"

Hawkeye quickly moved to Havoc's side. "Lieutenant Havoc!?" No response. She saw that his chest wasn't moving, and he was losing color. She was quick to act. What she did next was a shock to everyone present. She locked lips with Havoc and started preforming mouth-to-mouth.

"L-Lieutenant...?"

Riza started breathing air into his lungs, she breaked to listen for his breath, then continued to breath into him. It was only about thirty seconds later did he "respond". While she was still engaged with his mouth, she felt his tounge creep in. It took her a moment to figure that he had his tounge in her mouth, but as soon as she realized this, I can assure you, she pulled away as fast as she could, a deep red covering her face.

He smiled while still seemingly unaware of what he had done, "Mmm. You're a good kisser... Wanna come over to my place after...?" Hawkeye scurried away about five feet, "Lieutenant Havoc!!!"

Havoc opened his eyes a little, "Wha...?" Right now, Ed was laughing his ass off, "Oh my god!! Havoc! You just _kissed_ Lieutenant Hawkeye!! Ah hahaha!" Al had a tinge of red dusting his face, trying not to look at the two lieutenants. Havoc was completely oblivious as to what he had committed, but according to Edward...

He cautiously looked over at Riza. She was glaring fiercly at him, which made him cringe. "L-Lieutenant H-Hawkeye...I, uh..." he started but didn't know how to say he was sorry without sounding like a fool. "I-I was..."

Hawkeye's glare became more fierce, "You were in dire need of assistance, I hope you are now in good health, Lieutenant Havoc." She stood up and straightened her uniform. "We still have to take Colonel Mustang to an infirmary."

All the while, Caliber was also laughing hard at the two down there, "Ohhhh! Good job, what was it, Havoc! I hope you two live happily ever after once I kill the both of you!" he cheered. "Now," he looked at the one in armor, "You can let me down now."

"Sorry, Hughes-san. But we have to take you in to Central so we can properly question you," Al responded. Caliber shook his head, "It's Caliber! Do you want me to write it on my forehead for you?!"

Ed and Al, for now, ignored the homunculus. Edward quickly transmuted a fence-wall into a working car. "Okay! Hurry up you guys!" Al walked up to Ed, "But, Nii-san, what are we going to do with--," he pointed to the transmuted car to find that Caliber wasn't there anymore! Ed spazzed, "What?! How did he get out!?!" They all looked everywhere for him. But he didn't show.

"Sorry guys. Maybe tomorrow, I'm obviously not prepared for a battle with alchemy!" and Caliber's voice disappered into the distance.

After a moment of silence, the four snapped out of it and quickly packed Mustang into the back, and drove off to the nearest hospital to treat his climbing fever.

* * *

Oh man. Now that was a longer chapter. I didn't expect to introduce Caliber so soon in the story, but hey, I just go with my flow. I hope you guys like him o.O Even though he is a mock impresonation of the _real _Maes Hughes...just tell me if he's okay and in character similar to the real Hughes. And I guess to keep my confidence up, tell me what you think of my in-characterness of the others, plz review . Thnx.

_FYI, I'm working on my stupid spelling and all the html glitches, right? Ok then! heart_

Pray to you sex god that I get the next chapter out sooner than the end of next month! Gracias.


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